Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Just one year ago the Labour Party's Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was put into one year of cold storage by the Government because the Government did not want to address the issue of children who, if they have not been baptised, are frequently denied admission to their own local schools in favour of children from outside the area who may be of the appropriate religion. The Labour Party Bill goes on to Committee Stage today as the one year of cold storage is over. The Taoiseach puts himself forward as a modern and modernising Taoiseach. Is he really in favour of children not being able to go to local schools, including in areas of high demand, because the parents have not had their children baptised? He knows and I know from the area we both represent, that some parents absolutely feel it is essential to baptise their children in order to secure a local school place.

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